The Importance of Being Ernestine

I didn't like this as much as the first Ellie Haskell book I read. Maybe too much Mrs. Malloy who came across as too stereotyped as an uneducated but bossy charwoman. It reminded me of the stereotyping of the Step and Fetchit character in American cinema history. I'm not English so maybe this is an over reaction on my part but I think the character was meant to be quirky, as most of the characters in this book were, but she was over the top.

Agatha nominee Cannell dishes up a dizzy spoof of American hard-boiled private-eye fiction (after 2001's Bridesmaids Revisited). Ellie Haskell attempts a surprise for her husband, Ben, by redecorating his study, but when her gift seemingly bombs, she seeks comfort and wisdom from her worldly daily, show more Mrs. Roxy Malloy. Mrs. Malloy has been moonlighting as Girl Friday to a local PI, "Milk" Jugg, and Ellie's nocturnal visit to Jugg's office coincides with the appearance of a new client, Lady Krumley. Mrs. Malloy graciously allows Ellie to act as her assistant in Jugg's absence, and they plunge fearlessly and fecklessly into Lady Krumley's case. Many years widowed, Lady Krumley once sacked a parlor maid, Flossie, whom she suspected of having stolen a valuable brooch. Flossie also managed to get herself in the family way while at Moultty Towers, and later expired from tuberculosis while trying to care for herself and her daughter, Ernestine. With her dying breath, Flossie cursed the Krumley family, and various Krumleys have recently shuffled off the mortal coil in amusingly eccentric ways. Lady Krumley wants to find the missing Ernestine and right ancient wrongs, hoping to avert any further mysterious accidents. Using Ellie's cover as an interior designer, the two gumshoes besiege the denizens of Moultty Towers, and the game is afoot. Cannell orchestrates plenty of laughs along with a clever plot, merrily winking at readers as she pokes fun at numerous genre conventions. show less

Still reading, but I dont' know if this is in keeping with the play of which the title is a play on words, but I keep finding similes used for the proper word in sentences, but not in spoken sentences. In narrative where you would no expect it. Is this poor editing or a rouse on the part of the editor to remind us of the origin of the title? I don't know, but there are enough to make me won't to grab my pencil and make corrections. Other wise, a 'cute' story thus far.

This was a good mystery for the genre. I read a lot in the genre of P.D. James, Agatha Chhristie, Margaret Atwood - mysteries that are a bit "heavier," so to speak. This was a light read for me, but it was entertaining and was a pleasant diversion. Nice for people who like show more mystery without the forensic details. show less

Ellie Haskell has a quarrel with her husband Ben over her redecorating his study. Ellie then pays a late night call on her housekeeper Mrs. Malloy who is spending most of her time working for a private detective. When a client shows up late Ellie and Mrs. Malloy decide to help Lady Krumley find the daughter of a housekeeper who was wrongly fired and whose spirit Mrs. Krumley now believes is killing family members. A lighthearted, cozy mystery.

I love Dorothy Cannell's Ellie Haskell books. This is the usual silly delight. Pure froth.